it the logs had of course piled up in a jam,
which, sinking rapidly to the bed of the channel, had dammed back the
water.

"Where in hell did that drop from?" cried Orde.

"Come down on top the jam," explained a riverman. "Must have come way
from Redding. We just couldn't SCARE her out of here."

Orde, suddenly fallen into a cold rage, stared at the obstruction, both
fists clenched at his side.

"Too bad, boy," said Welton at his elbow. "But don't take it too hard.
You've done more than any of the rest of us could. And we're all losers
together."

Orde looked at him strangely.

"That about settles it," repeated Welton.

"Settle!" cried Orde. "I should think not."

Welton smiled quaintly.

"Don't you know when you're licked?"

"Licked, hell!" said Orde. "We've just begun to fight."

"What can you do?"

"Get that bridge span out of there, of course."

"How?"

"Can't we blow her up with powder?"

"Ever try to blow up iron?"

"There must be some way."

"Oh, there is," replied Welton. "Of course--take her apart bolt by bolt
and nut by nut."

"Send for the wrenches, then," snapped Orde.

"But it would take two or three days, even working night and day."

"What of it?"

"But it would be too late--it would do no good--"

"Perhaps not," interrupted Orde; "but it will be doing something,
anyway. Look here, Welton, are you game? If you'll get that bridge out
in two days I'll hold the jam."

"You can't hold that jam two hours, let alone two days," said Welton
decidedly.

"That's my business. You're wasting time. Will you send for lanterns and
wrenches and keep this crew working?"

"I will," said Welton.

"Then do it."

During the next two days the old scenes were all relived, with back of
them the weight of the struggle that had gone before. The little crew
worked as though mad. Excepting them, no one ventured on the river,
for to be caught in the imminent break meant to die. Old spars, refuse
timbers of all sorts--anything and everything was requisitioned that
might help form an obstruction above or below water. Piles were taken
where they could be found. Farmer's trees were cut down. Pines belonging
to divers and protesting owners were felled and sharpened. Some
were brought in by rail. Even the inviolate Government supply was
commandeered. The Railroad Company had a fine lot which, with remarkable
shortsightedness and lack of public spirit, they refused to sell at any
price. The crew took t